Mazda5 - test drove it today!

cookie123 · May 18, 2010

We test drove a 2010 tonight. It was pretty nice. I think it would meet our needs. What I'm wondering - they supposedly, according to carsoup.com, also have a 2009 for much less, with 8000 miles. Were there changes between the 2 years?

Also do you think it would work out okay with 2 in boosters and 1 Radian rf?

chay · May 19, 2010

I'm not positive but I don't think they've changed much, the big change is coming in 2011.

RF Radians work great 2nd row. I haven't tried a booster in mine but I don't think you'll have a problem with them 2nd row (everything seems to work there). I would try them out 3rd row to make sure you like where the belt ends up on the kid. The shoulder belts in my 2008 are fairly far forward on me and I suspect wouldn't work for a thin child in a backless booster for example. There has been some discussion that they changed the 3rd row belt at some point but I'm not sure if mine are pre or post change. Oh and just so you know a FF Radian doesn't work 3rd row (it's the only seat I haven't got to work in it).

I just read your siggy and a Nautilus works in harness mode both 2nd and 3rd row.

momtoirs · May 19, 2010

Peg,

We've been vehicle shopping as well (have a new to us 09 Kia Rondo out back tonight

) and have put DS in a Turbobooster in the third row of an 09 Mazda 5. He's 5 1/2 and somewhere around 45" and 45#. He fit okay in the Turbo for me. Super perfect, no. Acceptable to me, yes. We didn't look at any 2010s, but if I remember correctly from my reading, they are pretty much the same as the 09s.

If I remember correctly, you're not far from me (the other side of the river

). If you don't mind a bit of a drive, PM me and I'll tell you what I know about one coming in to a dealer in Rochester -- its expected tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday. A supposedly comparable vehicle a couple of weeks ago sold very quickly!

Tina

cookie123 · May 20, 2010

The 5 I saw online was already sold. Back to the drawing board!

AwwMama · May 22, 2010

I'm in the market for a new vehicle and the 5 is on our list. Not trying to hijack but can anyone vouch for its handling in the snow/winters? I've seen some for sale here (i'm in the mid-atlantic) by owner stating it doesn't perform well.

chay · May 23, 2010

There are a few posts in this thread about the Mazda5 in winter.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=125266

My post is in there. I honestly haven't had a problem with it but everyone else seems to so maybe I've just always had bad winter cars and don't know what good is

I live in a pretty snowy climate (we had snow 2 weeks ago) so I do get a lot of practice and just about everyone here puts snow tires on. Mazda5's are super popular in Canada - there are 5 of them on our street alone (our gas prices are much higher than the States so smaller more fuel efficient vehicles do really well here).

Defrost · May 25, 2010

The adjustments to the 3rd-row seat belts (both the shoulder portion and the lower anchorage) were made in the '09 models. The '08 models still have the same 3rd-row seat belts, but that's when they finally added the passenger-seat armrest and rear air vents.

So basically, the '06 and '07 models are the same,
the '08 models are one way
and the '09-'10 models are the same - AS FAR AS I KNOW!

Mazda5 - test drove it today!

cookie123

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